Repair of a Chronic, Traumatic Pediatric Macular Hole Using an Internal Limiting Membrane Flap and Direct Silicone...

Background and Clinical Significance: Macular holes are rare in pediatric patients and most often result from blunt trauma, commonly from soccer-related injuries. These cases present unique challenges due to delayed presentation, tightly adherent hyaloid layers, and difficulties with postoperative positioning. Larger, chronic macular holes have low spontaneous closure rates and poorer surgical outcomes, necessitating advanced surgical approaches. Herein we report a case of chronic traumatic macular hole in a pediatric patient that closed with an internal limiting membrane (ILM) flap surgical technique with silicone oil tamponade. Case Presentation: A 15-year-old male patient presented with a history of blunt ocular trauma from a soccer ball one year prior, resulting in a large chronic macular hole. The decision was made to perform pars plana vitrectomy with an inverted ILM flap technique and silicone oil tamponade. To stabilize the ILM flap and prevent displacement, a novel technique involving the placement of a single drop of silicone oil on the retinal surface prior to complete silicone oil fill was employed. This "silicone oil drop" technique allowed for smoother propagation of the oil over the flap, effectively securing it without the need for additional manipulation or perfluorocarbon liquid. Postoperatively, the macular hole was closed, and the patient's vision improved. Conclusions: This case highlights the potential benefits of the ILM flap technique in treating pediatric macular holes with utilization of silicone oil as not only a tamponade but as a method to stabilize the flap.